The future of TikTok in the United States is once again uncertain, as the app’s parent company, ByteDance, faces an April 5 deadline to sell the platform or risk a renewed ban. President Donald Trump, who returned to office in January 2025, has confirmed the government will not enforce the existing ban immediately, giving ByteDance time to explore potential sale options.
Despite a January Supreme Court ruling upholding legislation prohibiting TikTok’s operations unless sold, Trump signed an executive order shortly after his inauguration that delayed enforcement of the ban by 75 days, providing a temporary reprieve for the app and its 170 million US users.
What Does Trump’s Executive Order Do?
While the executive order doesn’t overturn the law banning TikTok, it instructs the US Department of Justice not to enforce it for now. The move allows ByteDance and potential buyers to negotiate without the app being removed from app stores or blocked from operating.
“We want TikTok to survive,” Trump said. “We’re working to find a solution that benefits the United States and maintains user freedom.”
This temporary stay also overrides the Supreme Court’s earlier ruling, which justified the TikTok ban on national security grounds, citing risks of the Chinese government accessing user data.
Will TikTok Be Banned Again?
The ban could be reinstated if ByteDance doesn’t sell TikTok by the April 5 deadline. However, Trump has hinted that the deadline could be extended again, and even if it isn’t, the administration could still choose not to enforce the law, rendering it symbolic.
App stores like Google Play and Apple’s App Store briefly removed TikTok in January. However, they quickly restored it in February after the Justice Department confirmed it would not pursue penalties for hosting the app.
Who Might Buy TikTok?
Although ByteDance has repeatedly claimed TikTok is not for sale, multiple high-profile individuals and companies have expressed interest under Trump’s renewed pressure.
Names floated as potential buyers include:
- Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle
- Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and X
- Frank McCourt, billionaire and former LA Dodgers owner
- Kevin O’Leary, investor and TV personality
- MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson), the world’s top YouTuber with over 300 million subscribers
- Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit
- Microsoft, reportedly involved in ongoing discussions
- Perplexity AI, a US search engine exploring a merger
Trump has suggested a 50-50 joint ownership between ByteDance and a US entity as a possible solution.
“The list of people who do not want to buy TikTok is much smaller than those who do,” Elon Musk quipped on X.
TikTok Alternatives: Who Stands to Gain?
With TikTok’s fate hanging in the balance, rival platforms are preparing to capitalize.
Potential winners:
- Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts could attract ad dollars and users seeking short-form video content.
- Twitch, known for livestreaming, may draw creators looking for real-time engagement.
- Xiaohongshu (RedNote), a Chinese lifestyle and social app, has grown in US and UK markets.
According to Forrester analyst Kelsey Chickering, marketers are ready to redirect budgets to Meta and Google if the future of TikTok advertising becomes uncertain.
Could TikTok Be Banned in the UK Too?
While the UK has yet to take legal steps similar to the US, discussions around data privacy and foreign ownership are becoming more frequent. Analysts warn that if the US successfully banned TikTok, it could set a precedent that influences other nations.
Final Thoughts
The uncertainty surrounding the TikTok ban in the US is not just a matter of legal interpretation—it’s also geopolitical, economic, and deeply tied to technology competition. Whether TikTok is ultimately banned, sold, or split, its impact on users, advertisers, and the broader tech ecosystem will be far-reaching.
With a decision expected by April 5, all eyes are now on the next move by ByteDance, the Trump administration, and a growing list of interested buyers.
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